Washing-machine pounder



(Model) I J. D. CARR.

WASHING MAUHINE POUNDER.

Patented Nov. 29,1881.

liar/wafer .1 M. Washingtm o. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT. Orrrcec JAMES D. CARE, OF SAUK CENTRE, MINNESOTA.

WASHING-MACHINE POU NDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 250,202, dated November29, 1881.

Application filed July 28, 1881. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES D. CARR, a'citizen of the United States,residing at Sank Centre, in the county of Stearns and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and usefulImprovementsinWashing-Machine Pounders; and I do herebydeclare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form apartof this specification.

This invention relates to that class of washing-machines in which thecleansing of the clothing is effected by means of a pounder or series ofpounders.

It consists in a main frame or carriage movable horizontally on theupper edges of the suds-box, a secondary or poun der frame placed withinand movable vertically in the main frame, and a series of poundersarranged within the secondary or pounderframe and operated by a crank,and having their lower ends held in guides, all of which will hehereinafter fully explained, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an end elevation of a rectangular suds-boxhaving the end wall or board removed to show the position of thepounders and frames arranged therein. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectionof thesecondary frame and the main frame. Fig. 3 is a view of the under sideof the main frame or carriage, and Fig. 4 shows parts of the secondaryframe.

a is the suds-box, made rectangular in form and of any desired length.On the upper edges of its longer sides aa there are provided smallprojecting lips or flanges a which serve as guides to give steadiness tothe movement of the pounder-carriage.

bis the carriage, composed of thetwo sliding bars I) b and the twocross-bars b bflallunited to form a strong and substantial frame whichmoves from end to end of the suds box in the.

operation of the machine.

b are flanges attached to the sides of the sliding bars, and bent sothat they catch under the flanges a and hold the frame I) so that itcannot be lifted vertically from the suds-box. The flanges I) do notinterfere with the free 'back-and-forth movement of the carriage overthe suds-box. These guides and flanges may be dispensed with altogether;but I prefer to use them, for by their use less care is required on thepart of the operator, as will be hereinafter more fully shown.

I) are anti-friction rollers journaled in suitable mortises in the underedges of the sliding bars I), and arranged to bear on the upper edges ofthe sides of the sudsbox and give freer movement to the carriage.

b b are vertical guides or grooves arranged at the inner angles formedby the sliding bars and the cross-bars of the frame or carriage b, andare adapted to support the pounder-frame in its vertical position andgive it steadiness in its vertical adjustment.

0 is the pounderor secondary frame, composed of the vertical side bars,0 c, and the guide-bar c fixed to the lower ends of the side bars, andprovided with a series of vertical guide-openings, c. The upper ends ofthe side bars are connected by the cross brace c to give it strength.The frame 0 slides v'crtically in'and is held steadilyin place bytheguideways provided by the guides b on the carriage b, and is carried bythe latter from end to end of the suds-box.

d is crank-shaft, journaled in and near the upper ends of the side-barsc c of the vertically-adjustable frame c. It is provided with a seriesof wrists, (1, arranged on different radii, and so that they give aregular consecutive downward movement to the pounders c.

c are a series of pounders, which are connected by arms 0 with thewrists d on crankshaft d. The arms 0 pass upward through the guide-holesc in the guide-bars 0 The lower ends of the arms, being held in theguide-holes,

as shown, will cause an oscillating or walking movement to be impartedto the pounders as the crank-shal't-d is turned by its crank (1 Thiswalking or oscillating movement raises the-pounders one afteranothe'rconsecutively, and in the same manner lowers them to the bottom of thesuds-box or onto the clothing.

It will be understood that each pounder comes to its lowest point alittle in advance of the point touched by the pounder which preceded it,and that as soon as any given pounder is firmly pressed 011 the clothingthe preceding pounder is lifted. By this construction and arrangement ofthe several parts the carriage b, with the pounder-frame, will'be movedfrom one end of the suds -box to the other by the consecutive action ofthe pounders on the clothing in the said box. Motion is given to thepounders by turning the crank (1 The pounders, having been moved to oneend of the sudsbox, can be moved to the other end by reversing themotion of the crank 61*. By this arrangement the pounders can be kept inmotion back and forth over the clothing. The sudsbox can be made of anydesired length. The adjustable frame 0 is made of suitable material togive it sufficient weight to impart the necessary pressure to thepounders in washing ordinary clothing. When greater pressure is desiredit is given by the hand pressing down on the top brace, 0 or, ifpreferred, weights can be laid on the said cross-brace.

It will be seen that the flanges b catching under the lips 0?, hold thecarriage b steadily in place and prevent tilting or other irregularmovement; but by placing the hand on one of the cross -bars b or on thetop of the frame 0 the carriage can be held in place and thepounderskept properly to their work and moved to and fro through the suds-box,as hereinbefore explained. I prefer to use the flanges b and guides atshown.

The pounder-frame may be lifted from the carriage, and the latter can heslipped off the guides a and both can be placed in the sudsbox and beout of the way and protected against injury, when the machine is not inuse.

The frame 0 is made adjustable vertically, so that the pounders willautomatically adapt themselves to larger or smaller bulks of cloth ing.If the bulk of clothing was always the same, or was uniform throughoutthe length of the suds-box, no vertical adjustment would be needed, andthe carriage and pounder-frames could be made as a single frame.

It will be seen that the to-and-fro motion of the pounders is automatic,and that this auto matic movement brings the entire washing in thesuds-box under the influence of the pounders. The same result could beobtained by having the carriage and pounder-frame supported in astationary frame and the suds-box arranged on anti-friction rollers, sothat it would move easily to and fro under the pounders. The action ofthe pounders on the bottom of the suds-box or on the clothing will causethe said boX to be moved automatically to and fro, and by the turning ofa single crank; but

this construction requires the very nicest adjustment of the suds-box;otherwise the additional weight of the water and clothes will be hard toovercome by the pressure and walking movement of the pounders. I preferthe construction first hereinbeforedescribed,in which the pounders aremoved and the suds-box remains fixed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination, substantially as described, of the suds-box, thehorizontally-moving carriage mounted thereon, the crank-shaft providedwith a series of cranks, each at right angles with the adjacent crank,vertically-moving hearings, in which said crank shaft is mounted, and aseries ofpounders, one mounted on each crank, and having their lowerends held in guides, whereby the pounders are adapted to fallconsecutively upon the bottom of and automatically move from end to endin the stationary suds-box, as set forth.

2. The combination, with a stationary sudsbox, ofa horizontally-movingcarriage or frame, I), placed on and held by lips or flanges to the topof the suds-box a,Vertically-movable frame 0, supported in guides in theframe I), a shaft journaled in the upper end of the frame 0, and havinga series of cranks, each arranged at right angles to the adjacent one,and a series of pounders journaled on the cranks, whereby they areadapted to fall consecutively upon the bottom of and automaticallytraverse from end to end in the suds-box, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereofI aflix'my signature, in presence of two witnesses,on this 13th day of July, 1881.

JAMES D. CARR.

Witnesses H. S. DOTY, L. M. DAVIS.

